Oscar (known by his nickname, Unsinkable Sam, or by the Germanized spelling of his name, Oskar) was a ship's cat who purportedly served during World War II with both the Kriegsmarine and the Royal Navy and survived the sinking of three ships. History[edit] The cat's original name is unknown. The name "Oscar" was given by the crew of the British destroyer HMS Cossack that rescued him from the sea f